Hydraulic expressor



June 9, 1953 N. J. CAVAGNARO, JR, ETAL 2,641,122

HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR 4 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 17. 1949 June9, 1953 N. J. CAVAGNARO, JR., ETAL 2,641,122

HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR Original Filed March 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nouooo 000000 26 000000 000000 I OIIOOOO I 0 000000 0 June 9, 1953 N. J.CAVAGNARO, JR., ETAL 2,641,122

HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR Original Filed March 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 4Sheets-Sheet 4 40MENTARY CONTACT N. .1. CAVAGNARO, JR, ETAL HYDRAULICEXPRESSOR June 9, 1953 Original Filed March 17, 1949 Jae/pm M6204!MAGNET:

STARTER FDR MDTOR atented June 9, 1953 HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR Nicholas J.Cavagnaro, J r., Hicksville, and John Louis Cavagnaro, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original application March 17, 1949, Serial No. 81,946. Divided and thisapplication June 27, 1951, Serial No. 238,842

4 Claims. (01. 68-241) This invention relates to improvements inapparatus for expelling liquid from wet material, as for example waterfrom cloths and other fabric material and articles after the same havebeen washed; and the invention has reference, more particularly, tohydraulic press apparatus for the stated purpose which functions toexert strong squeezing and liquid expressing pressure upon materialunder treatment thereby. This application being a division of ourco-pending application Ser, No. 81,946.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel hydraulic pressapparatus including a removable container for reception of the wetmaterial to be treated, said container being adapted to be alignedbetween the head and ram of the press, and said container having amovable bottom adapted to be engaged and lifted by the press ram,whereby to squeeze the wet material between the latter and the presshead so as to expel the liquid from said material; the container beingfurther provided with automatic means for latching its movable bottom insupported position at the top of the container upon completion of theoperative stroke of the ram, whereby the container is converted forservice as a supporting table and carriage by which the treated materialmay be removed from the press.

The invention has for another object to provide, in a hydraulicexpressor characterized as above stated, means for locking the containerin operative aligned relation to the press ram, including means toprevent release of said locking means until after the press ram has beenreturned to its lowered normal initial position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in association with thehead of the press a press compartment or chamber Within which thematerial is enclosed during the liquid expressing operation of thepress, means being provided for opening said chamber to permitwithdrawal therefrom of the treated material as supported by the tableand carriage to which the container is converted upon completion of theliquid expressing operation; said press compartment having means tocollect and drain away the liquid expressed from the treated material.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a hydraulicexpressor characterized as above stated wherein the ram actuating pumpis operated by an electric motor, means for preventing the starting ofsaid motor until after the movable container is fully entered into thepress and disposed in operative aligned relation to the press ram.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be understood from the following detailed descriptionof the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an hydraulic expressor accordingto this invention with the removable container entered therein inoperative relation thereto, and with the ram disposed in lowered normalinitial position; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken online 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2,but with the ram raised to operative position; Fig. 4 is a detailhorizontal sectional view through the drain chamber of the press, thisview being taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary planview, with parts broken away, of a liquid discharging top cover for thepress compartment of the expressor; and Fig. 6 is a schematic Viewshowing the electrical controls for the ram pump actuating motor of theapparatus.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above describedviews, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the hydraulic expressor according to thisinvention comprises a framework provided by spaced sleepers ID to0pposite end portions of which are fixed upwardly extending standards IIwhich support the head member [2 of the press. Supported by and acrosssaid sleepers l0 are suitably spaced apart beams I3 by which a platformI4 is supported. The framework thus constituted is so installed in thebuilding or other place where its use is desired that the platform It isdisposed at floor level so as to form a part of the floor [5 of saidbuilding or other place of use.

Supported by the sleepers It] is suitable guide means It through whichthe plunger ll of a perpendicularly reciprocable ram 18 moves inopposition to the head member I2. The ram actuating plunger I 1 formspart of a hydraulic press apparatus, the cylinder, pump and liquid flowconnections of which are not shown, since the same are well known to thehydraulic press art.

Suitably alfixed to the underside of the press head member 12, to dependtherefrom in axially aligned opposition to the ram {8 and its actuatingplunger I1, is a downwardly open press compartment C for the receptionof material to be operated upon by the press. Said compartment 0 isbounded by an annular drain chamber D which comprises a substantiallysemi-circular body section having an internal frame structure formed byvertically spaced, horizontally disposed arcuate members I!) ofsubstantial width and intermediate radial members 2|] which extendperpendicularly therebetween. Said frame structure is faced at itsexterior side with an imperforate external wall 2| and is faced at itsinterior side with an internal perforate wall 22. Hingedly connectedwith the ends of said body section, by hinge pins 23, are arcuate gatesections which, when closed together, form with said body section thecomplete enclosure of the press compartment C. Said gate sections,similar to the body section, each comprise an internal frame structureformed by vertically spaced, horizontally disposed arcuate members I9and intermediate radial members 26 which extend perpendicularlytherebetween. Said gate sections are likewise faced with imperforateexternal walls 2! and internal perforate walls 22'. At their free ends,the interiors of the gate sections are closed by stiles 24 which abutwhen the gate sections are closed in meeting relation. The stiles 24project outwardly a substantial distance beyond the. ex ternal walls 2 lof the gate sections, and are each provided with vertically spacedtransverse sockets 25 which indent their outer marginal portions. Meansis provided in connection with the stiles 24 for locking the gatesections in closed positions relative to the body section. This meanscomprises latching links 265 which engage in and across the sockets 25.Said latching links 26 are pivotally connected with the stile 24 of onegate section by a hinge pin 21, and are thus adapted to be swungrelative to said stile into and out of the sockets 25 of the stile ofthe other gate section. Said latching links 26 are of length exceedingthe width of the gate section stiles when the latter close in meetingrelation. Rotatably journaled by a pivoting shaft 28 which extendsthrough the free end portions of the latching links 26 is an eccentriclocking cam means '29 which is provided with a radially projecting handlever 30 by which the same can be actuated. When the gate sections areclosed, and the latching links 26 are swung inwardly across the meetingstiles 24 thereof, the locking cam 29 may be rotated to engage theadjacent stile 24, thereby to draw the stiles together, whereby tosecure the gate sections of the compartment C in closed position, sothat the same are strongly held against opening movement and inresistance to the pressure of material within said compartment C, whenthe material is subjected to squeezing thrust of the ram duringoperation of the press (see full line representation of said gatesections and looking means as shown in Fig. 4, wherein the releasedposition of these parts is shown by broken lines). The frame structuremembers wall! .of the drain chamber D are provided with drainingopenings 3!, through the bottom group of which the liquid expressed fromthe treated material and collected in the drain chamber may drain away.It will be understood that other means may be optionally provided fordischarging and carrying away the collected liquid from the drainchamber.

It is preferable to provide means across the top of the presscompartment C through which liquid from the material squeezed withinsaid compartment may also escape. One means adapted to serve thispurpose, as shown, comprises a cover member B which is interposedbetween the top end of the compartment C and the head member [2 of thepress. This cover member (see Fig. 5) comprises a bottom plate 32, theinner or upper surface of which is crossed by series of suitably spacedintersecting escape channels 33, and a top plate 34 which overlies thethus channeled bottom plate. Said bottom plate 32 is further providedwith a multiplicity of openings 35 which communicate between theinterior of the compartment C and the channels 33 of the bottom plate.It will be obvious that liquid expressed from material under treatmentwithin the compartment C can pass through the openings 35 into thechannels 33, being thence led by the latter to the periphery of thecover member so as to escape and drain away from the ends of saidchannels which terminate at the periphery of the cover member.

The platform I4 is provided with a hatehway or opening 36 to permitpassage of the ram [8 and its plunger l1 therethrough.

A wheeled container, in which material M to be treated is deposited, isadapted to be rolled into and out of the press, and to facilitate properpositioning of said wheeled container within the press, the platform 84is provided with channeled trackways 3'! for guiding the movements ofthe same.

The wheeled container comprises a platform carriage 38 provided withtraction wheels or casters 39. Fixed upon the platform carriage 38, soas to upstand therefrom, is an upwardly open cylindrical container body40, the diameter of which is approximately the same as the internaldiameter of the press compartment C. The height of the wheeled containeris such that, when in place within the press, the upper end of thecontainer body 40 will closely or contiguously underlie the downwardlyopen end of said press compartment C. The platform carriage 38 isprovided with an opening 4| to permit upward passage of the press ram 13and its plunger I1 therethrough and thence upwardly through the interiorof the container body. The diameter of the ram 18 is somewhat less thanthe internal diameter of the container body, whereby, to assureunimpeded movement of the ram through the container body interior.Supported by the platform carriage 38 within the container body 40, soas to normally lie across the opening 4| of the former in the path ofram movement, is a movable perforate bottom member 42. Exteriorlymounted in connection with the side walls of the container body 40, soas to be disposed adjacent to the upper open end of the latter incircumferentially spaced relation therearound, are a plurality ofpivotally mounted, spring actuated stop dogs 43, the upper end portions44 of which are yieldably in-swung by their actuating springs 45 throughopenings 46 with which the side walls of the container body areprovided, thereby disposing said upper end portions 44 for normalupwardly and inwardly inclined projection into the interior of thecontainer body. The purpose which is served by said stop dogs will behereinafter more fully explained.

Suitably mounted on the exterior of the container body 46 is a handlebar member 41 by means of which the wheeled container can be controlledin wheeling the same into and out of the press. To operatively positiona loaded container within the press, the same is adapted to be rolledonto the platform I4, as guided by the trackways 3'1, so as to bedisposed beneath and in axial alignment with the press compartment C andabove and in axial alignment with the lowered ram [8 of the press.

Means is provided for locking the wheeled container in operativeposition within the press, including means to prevent release of saidlooking means until after the actuated press ram has been returned toits lowered normal initial position. The means for accomplishing thesepurposes comprises a lock bolt device which is disposed adjacent theentrance side of the press. Said lock bolt device includes a housing 48which is affixed to the platform l4. Extending upwardly through theplatform I4 and housing 48 is a vertically movable lock bolt 49 adaptedto be yieldably projected from the upper end of the housing 48 by acompression spring 58 contained within the latter. Projecting laterallyfrom the lock bolt 49, to project outwardly through a slot 5| with whichthe side wall of the housing 48 is provided, is an arm 52 having a footpedal 53 mounted on its free end portion. Whenthe operator thrusts downwith a foot upon the pedal 53, the lock bolt 49 will be retractedagainst the tension of the spring 59, whereby to withdraw the same fromengagement with a perforate lock bolt receiving socket 54. Said socket54 is affixed to the underside of the platform carriage 38 of thewheeled container, and the same is provided at its inner end with aninclined lock bolt retracting cam nosing 55. When the wheeled containeris moved into the press, the cam nosing 55 will engage the projectedlock bolt 49 and, as it rides thereover, will depress said lock boltuntil the opening of the socket 54 is brought into alignment therewith,whereupon the compressed spring 50 will project the lock bolt into thesocket, thereby securely locking the wheeled container in enteredrelation to the press so that the same is firmly held against accidentaldisplacement from operative axially aligned relation to and between thepress ram 18 and the press compartment C.

Associated with the lock bolt means is the means for preventing pedalactuated release thereof until after the operated ram [8 has beenreturned to its lowered normal initial position, thus guarding againstaccidental shifting or withdrawal of the wheeled container from thepress while the ram is in movement. For this purpose, the lower endportion of the lock bolt 49, which extends beneath the platform [4, isprovided with a stop plate 56. Pivotally supported from the platform l4,to extend through the hatchway or opening 36 of the latter between thelock bolt housing 48 and the ram I8, is a detent lever 51. This detentlever 51 is provided at its lower end with an angular outwardlyprojecting latch tongue 58 for cooperation with the stop plate 56 of thelock bolt 49, and at its upper end with an angular inwardly projectingthrust finger 59 which is opposed to the ram 18. At least the sidesurface of the ram [8, to which the thrust finger 59 is opposed, isshaped to provide an inwardly and downwardly inclined cam surface 60 bywhich the thrust finger 59 may be engaged. The detent lever 51 is urgedby a pull spring 6| to turn about its pivoting fulcrum 62 in clockwisedirection.

As shown in Fig. 3, when the ram I8 is caused to rise during operationof the press, the cam surface 60 thereof is disengaged from the thrustfinger 59 of the detent lever 51, so that the pull spring 5| is free toswing the latter in clockwise direction. Such movement of the detentlever carries its latch tongue 58 beneath the stop plate 56 of the latchbolt 49, thus obstructing retractive movement of the latter. It will beobvious that, under such'ram operating conditions, the

thus obstructed latch bolt cannot be retracted by pedal actuation so asto withdraw the same from the socket 54 of the wheeled container, andconsequently the latter remains locked against withdrawal from the pressthroughout the cycle of ram operation, thereby effectively avoiding allrisk of injury to either the wheeled container or the ram by reason ofuntimely shifting or displacement of the wheeled container from itsoperative assembled relation to the press.

As shown in Fig. 2, however, when the ram I8, after completion of itscycle of operation, returns to its normal initial lowered position, thecam surface 60 thereof will engage the thrust finger 59 of the detentlever 51, thus rotating the latter counterclockwise, whereby to withdrawthe latch tongue 59 from obstructing engagement with.

54 of the wheeled container, thereby freeing the latter for removal fromthe press.

As is common in hydraulic press structures, the plunger l1 of the ram [8of the instant press is actuated by fluid pumped to the cylinder inwhich the plunger is fitted, suitable fluid circulating and controlmeans being provided for evacuating the cylinder for completion of thecycle of ram operation. All this being well" known to the arm no showingis made of these features in connection with the instant pressOrdinarily and in the instant case it is usually the practice to operatethe hydraulic press pumpby an electric motor as the power source. Inthis connection the instant invention includes means for preventingaccidental or untimely starting of the pump operating motor until afterthe wheeled container is fully entered into the press and locked thereinin operative relation thereto. To this end, a novel arrangement of limitswitch means is provided in the motor control circuit.

Referring to Fig. 6 more particularly, the reference character 55indicates the electric motor for operating the pump of the press;operating current for this motor being served through a magnetic starter56 which is in turn operated by the controlcircuit. Said control circuitincludes a manual switch 61 of the momentary contact push button type,with one phase of which is connected in series a latch bolt controlledlimit switch 68, a wheeled container controlled limit switch 69, and amotor timer mechanism 10, the latter being connected with the magneticstarter 66, all whereby to provide a motor control circuit of generallywell known character; the only feature of novelty here involved beingthe relation to the instant press of the limit switches 68 and 69.

The limit switch 68 is affixed to the underside of the platform [4 ofthe press adjacent to the lock bolt 49, so that its trip lever 98extends in the path of movement of the stop plate 56 with which the lockbolt is provided. When the lock bolt is upwardly projected to its lockedrelation to the socket 54 of the wheeled container, the stop plate 56will engage and uphold the trip lever 68 in its limit switch closingposition. It will be obvious that, in the event the wheeled containerhas not been fully entered into the press so as to bring the cavity ofthe socket 54 into alignment with thelock bolt 49, said lock bolt willbe de-' pressed by the socket structure, and consequently the stop plate56 will be disengaged from the trip lever 68 so that the limit switch 68will remain open. Under these circumstances, even if the manual switch61 is closed the control circuit will remain interrupted, andconsequently the motor cannot start.

The limit switch 69 is supported from the platform I4 so as to beopposed to the end of the path of movement of the Wheeled container intothe press so that the trip lever 69' of said switch is disposed subjectto operative switch closing engagement by the inner end of the wheeledcontainer only when the latter is fully entered into thepress. Thislimit switch 69 therefore provides an additional safeguard againststarting of the motor 65 and resultantoperation of the press ram unlessthe wheeled container is assuredly disposed within the press in therequired axially aligned relation to and between the press compartment Cand the ram l8. It will be obvious that, since the limit switch 69 is inseries with the limit switch 68, even though the wheeled container maybe pushed into the press far enough to engage the lock bolt 49 with thesocket structure 54, so that the limit switch 68 remains closed, themotor cannot be started by closing manual switch 6'! because the limitswitch 69 remains open and will not be closed until the wheeledcontainer is pushed into the press to the full limit of its enteredposition therein. In other words, before the manual switch 61 can beoperative both limit switches 63 and 69 must be in closed condition.

In use, the press of this invention is operated as follows:

The wet material M to be treated is loaded into the container body 40 ofa wheeled container, said material being supported within the containerbody by the bottom member 42 which is normally disposed within thebottom of said container body.

The ram I8 being disposed in its normal initial lowered position, andthe gate sections of the press compartment being secured in closedcondition, the loaded wheeled container is rolled into the press so asto be locked therein in the required axially aligned relation to andbetween the press compartment C and the ram I8, as already described andas shown in Fig. 2. The press is now ready for operation and, the limitswitches 68 and 69 being closed under these conditions, the press pumpactuating motor 65 may be started by closing the manual switch 61,whereupon the ram [8 is caused to move upwardly toward the head member[2 of the press. As the ram I8 rises, it engages the movable bottom 42of the container body 40 so as to carry the same upwardly therewith,thereby moving the contained material M upwardly out of the containerbody 40 and into the press compartment C by which said material isconfined. Continued upward movement of the ram [8 causes the wetmaterial M, as confined in the press compartment C, to be subjected tostrong squeezing pressure between the head member I2 and said ram l8(see Fig. 3). Under such applied squeezing pressure, the liquid carriedby the material is rapidly expressed therefrom so as to be drained awaythrough the cover member B and drain chamber D which surround the presscompartment, until, upon completion of the up-stroke of the ram, thematerial has become substantially dry.

In the meantime, the bottom member 42 of the container body 40 ha beencarried upwardly past the stop dogs 43, which yield to upward passagethereof. Saidstop dogs thereafter resume their normal inwardly projectedpositions, but now in underlying relation to said bottom member 42.

The upward limit of ram movement is predetermined by the motor controltimer '10 which, at the proper time, stops the motor 65 and operation ofthe press pump so that thereafter the ram may descend and return to itsnormal initial lowered position. As the ram I8 descends, down wardmovement of the bottom member 42 of the container body 40 is arrested byengagement thereof with the stop dogs 43, so that the mass of driedmaterial M is supported thereby substantially exteriorly of the top ofthe container body, thus converting the wheeled container for service asa movable supporting table and carriage upon which the dried materialmay be removed from the press and carried away for desired subsequentdisposition.

To permit withdrawal of the converted wheeled container from the press,the gate sections of the press compartment C are unlatched and swungopen, whereupon the operator, by actuating the pedal 53 of the lockmechanism, may retract the lock bolt 49 so as to release the wheeledcontainer for Withdrawal from the press. After the wheeled containerwith its load of dried material is withdrawn from the press, the gatesections of the press compartment C are again closed and secured,whereupon the press is ready for the reception of a wheeled containerloaded with wet material and for repetition of the above described cycleof material treating operation.

It will be understood that after the dried material has been removedfrom the converted wheeled container, the bottom member 42 may beremoved from the supporting stop dogs 43, and turned edgewise so as topass the latter for return to its normal initial supported positionwithin the bottom of the container body 40.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. In a hydraulic press having a reciprocable ram, an electric motorforoperating the press, a head member opposed to said ram, an upwardly openwheeled container adapted to be loaded with material to be treated, saidcontainer being adapted to be removably positioned in axially alignedrelation to and between the head member and the rain, said containerhaving a movable bottom member engageable by the rising ram whereby tocarry the material out of the container'subject to compression betweenthe head member and ram, a platform and trackway for supporting thewheeled container in entered relation to the press, a retractable springactuated locking bolt mounted, on said platform and a locking boltengageable means on'the container, whereby to secure the wheeledcontainer in its entered operative relation to the press, an electricalstarting means for said motor, a normally open limit switch in thecircuit of said starting means, said switch having a trip lever, andmeans on said locking boltoperative to move said trip lever to switchclosing position when the looking bolt is disposed to secure the wheeledcontainer in its entered operative relation to the press.

2. In a hydraulic press having a reciprocable ram, an electric motor foroperating the press, an upwardly open wheeled container adapted to beloaded with material to be treated, said container being adapted to beremovably positioned'in axially aligned relation to and between the headmember and the ram, said container having a movable bottom memberengageable by the rising ram whereby to carry the material out of thecontainer subject to compression between the head member and ram, aplatform and trackway for supporting the wheeled container in enteredrelation to the press, a retractible spring actuated locking boltmounted on said platform and a locking bolt engageable means on thecontainer whereby to secure the wheeled container in its enteredoperative relation to the press, an electrical starting means for saidmotor, a normally open limit switch in the circuit of said startingmeans, said switch having a trip lever, means on said locking boltoperative to move said trip lever to switch closing position when thelocking bolt is disposed in projected position, and a second normallyopen limit switch also connected in said circuit of the starting meansin series with said first mentioned limit switch, said second limitswitch having a trip lever adapted to be engaged and moved by thewheeled container when entered in the press whereby to close the latterswitch.

3. In a hydraulic press having a reciprocable ram adapted to be actuatedby an electric motor driven pump, an upwardly open wheeled containeradapted to be loaded with material to be treated, said container beingadapted to be removably entered in the press in axially aligned relationto and between the head member and the ram, said container having amovable bottom member engageable by the rising ram, whereby to carry thematerial out of the container subject to compression between the headmember and ram, a platform and trackway for supporting the wheeledcontainer in entered relation to the press, a vertically movable pedalretractable spring actuated locking bolt supported from said platform, alocking bolt engageable means on the container, whereby to secure saidcontainer in its entered operative relation to the press, an electricalstarting means for said motor, a normally open limit switch in thecircuit of said starting means, said switch having a trip lever, alaterally projecting stop plate carried by said locking bolt operativeto move said trip lever to switch closing position when the locking boltis disposed in its securing relation to the container, a pivoted detentmounted adjacent to said locking bolt, said detent having a latch tongueat one end engageable beneath said stop plate when the ram is in motion,whereby to prevent release of the locking bolt from its securingrelation to the container and to prevent opening of said limit switch,said detent having a thrust finger at its opposite end adapted to beengaged by the ram when said ram occupies its normal initial low-- eredposition, whereby to turn said detent and thus withdraw said latchtongue from looking bolt restraining engagement with said stop plate,and a second normally open limit switch also connected in said circuitof the starting means in series with said first mentioned limit switch,said second limit switch having a trip lever adapted to be engaged andmoved by the wheeled container when entered in the press whereby toclose the latter switch.

4. In a hydraulic press having a reciprocable ram, an electric motor foroperating the press, driven pump, an upwardly open wheeled containeradapted to be loaded with material to be treated, said container beingadapted to be removably entered in the press in axially aligned relationto and between the head member and the ram, said container having amovable bottom member engageable by the rising ram, whereby to carry thematerial out of the container subject to compression between the headmember and ram, a platform and trackway for supporting the wheeledcontainer in entered relation to the press, a vertically movable pedalretractable spring actuated locking bolt supported from said platform, alocking bolt engageable means on the container, whereby to secure saidcontainer in its entered operative relation to the press, an electricalstarting means for said motor, a normally open limit switch in thecircuit of said starting means, said switch having a trip lever, alaterally projecting stop plate carried by said locking bolt operativeto move said trip lever to switch closing position when the locking boltis disposed in its securing relation to the container, a pivoted detentmounted adjacent to said locking bolt, said detent having a latch tongueat one end engageable beneath said stop plate when the ram is in motion,whereby to prevent release of the locking bolt from its securingrelation to the container and to prevent opening of said limit switch,and said detent having a thrust finger at its opposite end adapted to beengaged by the ram when said ram occupies its normal initial loweredposition, whereby to turn said detent and thus withdraw said latchtongue from looking bolt restraining engagement with said stop plate.

NICHOLAS J. CAVAGNARO, JR. JOHN LOUIS CAVAGNARO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,111,638 Nevitt Mar. 22, 1938 2,160,805 Winegar June 6, 19392,219,586 Blewett Oct. 29, 1940 2,549,344 Strike Apr. 17, 1951

